Since so many are laying out their nickels worth on tire gluing, here's mine. This is based on what was taught to me by another roadie (Nick McQue from Little Rock, Arkansas), who's been racing longer, and my 20 plus years of gluing tires. I still don't like the clinchers, as in my mind, they don't feel the same. Perhaps the key words are "in my mind", but never-the-less, it just feels like when you're going around a tight corner, t.u., you can feel the sewups hold, and take them to the edge and still know where you are on friction/hanging on to the pavement. But, that's another topic. Another important note is that I'm 160 pounds, not 200 pounds on a tandem track bike -- though after years of trying to remove my tires, I'd trust it at any weight.
Here's my tried and true method.
1. Always use Clement -- disparagingly referred to as "the red stuff". The clear stuff gets brittle, and I don't like it.
2. Place tire (stretch first if new) onto new or old rim. If you have loose glue on the rim, then remove it first, but glue that is stuck, leave. Start at the air fill, lift the tire and roll it back out of the way, but not so far that you flip it off of the back side of the rim. Apply a 1/4" bead of Clement on bed of rim, and do this for two spoke lengths. Then lift tire and seat it in the middle of the rim bed. Lift the next two spokes worth of tire and push it to the back edge out of the way, then apply two spokes worth of glue again, with a 1/4" bead as before. Continue this the full circumference. When finished, you should have used 3/4 of a tube to have it right.
3. Inflate tire to 45 psi, then using your weight while holding the QR skewers, roll the tire on a flat floor for two revolutions, then back the other way. Now inflate to 100 psi and leave overnight before riding. Race on them after 3 days.
This method works well, and there is minimal risk of making a mess on rim or tire wall. Excess glue can be removed with Coleman fuel, lightly applied to a rag. Smoking while performing this part of the operation is discouraged (yuk, yuk).
Happy new year.
Steve Dahlquist Velochrome Frameset Painting V 559-592-6367 F 559-592-2585 C 559-967-3318 steve@velochrome.com 22582 Carson Avenue Exeter, California 93221 http://www.Velochrome.com
----- Original Message ----- From: Thomas Rawson To: Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2003 2:02 PM Subject: [CR]Gluing tires
OK OK you guys are all cranked up about gluing tires and coincidentally this newbie was in process of gluing first set ever. Fiamme red labels, stella spokes, NR hubs demanded I break down and learn how to do this. AND because I was too impatient to wait for Jim Mccoin who offered to help, I painted myself into a corner - somehwat - maybe - hope not???
Am using Mastik. Cleaned new (NOS new) rims with acetone and brushed on couple coats of mastik there plus one coat onto tires - yea yea the underside!
Tried to be neat but in fact was not and managed to slop a bit of Mastik onto edge and sides of rims - where it would show when tire mounted. Before third coat and attempted to mount tire thought it would be clever if I cleaned up my ugliness. Tried to clean up excess with acetone and was merely frustrated by that. Tried a bit of scotch brite but w' little effect. Found some carburetor cleaner in the storage room which did the trick? Now question is - have I messed w adhesive ability of base coat (mostly untouched by carb cleaner). Can I touch up spots where carb cleaner got onto base coat with new Mastik before I apply final glue coat? Does a visual inspection that looks like theres base glue covering rim tire bed suffice?
Ive mastered the art of an Arte Johnson (with clipless) but dont wanna Beloki.
Tom Rawson Oakland, CA
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